Fantastic ''Fauna'' Frescoes, Ajanta

Fantastic 'Fauna' Frescoes, Ajanta is one of the book in which the author Dr Vimla Jain has explained the depth of fauna values with the relation of human values. The Jataka stories of Buddha is how much related with the special appearances of fauna is specifically depicted by the author is worth to read. In all seven chapters the author has taken out all the hidden animal, birds, composite figures, reptiles in a beautiful manner as a researcher. The expression, the presentation, the technique of frescoes the composition, the rhythm, everything has made the book extraordinary. The book will explore the hidden beauty of fauna in Ajanta frescoes. All the efforts will be successful of this book if it satisfies the readers. This book opens a window to its genesis & the historical values of Ajanta period. A holistic perspective of Fauna with Buddhism has been corroborated here to portray its artistic approach.

Name: Dr Jain Vimla

Husband: Prakash Chand Jain, Bsc, MA (English & Hindi)

Address: 1/344, Suhag Nagar, Firozabad, (U.P.)

Phone: 05612-230315, (Mob) 0992741710

Qualification: MA, B.Ed., PhD, Acharya, Sa Shashtri, Sahitya Ratna

Profession: Reader & HOD Fine Art Dept., M.G.B.V. (PG) College, Firozabad

Organized: Art Exhibitions, Workshops & Seminar

Hobbies: Painting, Writing, Poetess, Traveller, Art, Religion, Culture and awareness in the Society, Research Papers published specially in Jainism.

1. Half yearly research papers in different conference & seminars.

2. Yearly papers on religion, moral, social, family and women empowerment.

3. Yearly poems on fast, fairs, festivals, humanity & social problems.

4. Many books review, preface & comments.

5. Lectures on education & religious education specially Assam & West Bengal.

6. Editor Jaiswal Jain, co-editor Jain Mahila Darsh, central co-editor Mahila Parishad.

7. Respectable social worker in different important organizations.

8. For the welfare of widows, orphan, to help the needy person with all humanitarian ground.

9. Dedication towards Jainism protection and preservations.

10. Published - Teerthankar Jeevam Vaishishtaya, Lucknow.

11. Unpublished- Aatm Amritva ke das Sopan, Naari ki Dasha aur Disha, Bhartiya Kala aur Jain kala, Series of research papers, collection of poems.

12. Awards: Kala Ratna, Chitrakala Ratna, Kavya Kokila, The pioneer of women world, Shranka Ratna, Jain Ratna, Shrut Seva Samman, Pratibhashali Mahila Samman, Late Roopa Bai Jain Award.

13. Art exhibitions on Jainism like, Vegetarian food, Alcohol, Seven Sins Dowry system, killing in womb.

14. As judgment for many competition & Art.

Fauna is sometimes referred, to as Fauns, meaning forest spirits. By definition Fauna is a group of indigenous animals of any geographical region. Fauna comes from the Greek word "Faunus", the name of a roman God & Fauna, the mythical Roman Goddess. It is a collective Noun that is used to describe all the animal life in a particular region.

Zoologist & paleontologist use Fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in specific time or place e.g, the Sonoran Desert Fauna or a Burgess shale Fauna'. The study of animals of a particular region is called Faunistics. The Fauna paintings of Ajanta is based on Buddhism. In our book (Chitralekha & Premnath) " The Great Religions of the World' on page no 59 We have written that "Buddhism is a religion of a peaceful, ethical & self culture". A Ghosh in his book "Ajanta Part 1(1960) on page no 99 he wrote that Ajanta paintings are creative products of Buddha philosophy based on Jataka stories of previous life of Buddha & Dr S.B.L Saxena in his book Ajanta ki chitrakala mein Rasa' on page 105 he emphasizes on canons & says" All paintings of Ajanta based on Jataka stories of previous life of Buddha".

After the analysis of all great authors I feel that Dr Vimla Jain the 1st scholar under my guidance of PhD now in the form of book Fantastic Fauna Frescoes Ajanta is in your hand in which she has described the beautiful Fauna in its rhythmic & aesthetical values like pink elephant, sad elephant, tears in the eyes, bulls, ducks, peacocks, monkeys, deer's, ethical figures composite with human & animals birds, the religious values of snakes & other reptiles what not, though Fauna sometimes have no religious stories on ceilings of Ajanta with flora its only for decoration just to create rhythmic movement.

Frescoes usually executed on Ajanta Caves /monastery walls would have been the most common form of South East Asian Paintings.

Dr Jain has described the beauty of Fauna which I am sure the intellectual readers will appreciate the theme of the book & the presentation.

WITH ALL GOOD WISHES